1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to reel-braking devices; in particular to dual-bearing reel centrifugal braking devices for braking under centrifugal force the spool fitted rotatively to the reel unit.
2. Description of Related Art
In dual-bearing reels referred to as bait reels, utilized mainly for lure fishing, generally braking force is made to act on the spool so that backlash does not occur when casting. xe2x80x9cBacklashxe2x80x9d herein is the phenomenon of the rotational speed of the spool being faster than the line wind-out speed. As this type of braking mechanism, centrifugal braking devices that employ centrifugal force developing from spool rotation to brake the spool are known.
Centrifugal braking mechanisms of this class are in general provided with: shifters allowed to shift in the diametric direction of the spool (guide shaft axial direction) on guide shafts that are arranged radially on a rotor that rotates coupled with the spool; and a brake element to the outer peripheral side of the shifters, provided enabling shifter contact. Among these sorts of centrifugal braking devices, that disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Gazette Reg. No. 2535505 enables adjusting the number of shifters that can come into contact the brake element.
The centrifugal braking device disclosed in the above-noted gazette is provided with a switching mechanism that by translating the shifters diametrically with respect to the spool switches between an inoperative state in which the shifters cannot come into contact with the brake element and an operative state for contact with the brake element. The switching mechanism includes pairs of fixing projections formed projecting toward the shifters on lateral walls of recesses formed in a shifter-fitting section of the rotor, and annular shifter projections that enable interlocking with the fixing projections and that are furnished on the shifters. The shifter projections, or the fixing projections, are elastically deformable components and by elastic deformation enable disengagement of the interlocking.
Wherein switching between the operative state and the inoperative state is carried out, the annular shifter projections on the shifters are caught and pulled with the fingertips to shift the shifters diametrically. Shifting the shifters from the operative state diametrically inward by elastically deforming the shifter projections to carry them past the fixing projections and dispose the shifter projections inward thereof switches them into the inoperative state, in which the shifters cannot come into contact with the brake element. Again, shifting the shifters from the inoperative state diametrically outward to dispose the shifter projections outward switches the shifters into the operative state.
In the foregoing conventional centrifugal braking devices, the shifters are switched between the operative state and the inoperative state by shifting them diametrically with respect to the spool, elastically deforming either the fixing projections or the shifter projections, wherein the shifter projections ride against and beyond the fixing projections. Accordingly, because the shifting directions when switching and when braking the shifters are the same, loosening the interlocked state of the two sets of projections to make handling easier risks that when braking, the shifter projections on the shifters in the inoperative state will ride past the fixing projections and come into contact with the brake element. Therefore, in the foregoing conventional configuration, the interlocked state between the two sets of projections has to be adjusted tight enough to keep the shifter projections from riding past the fixing projections under centrifugal force. In practice, the interlocked state is tightened by making the elastically deformable projections among the two sets of projections harder, or by enlarging the extent of engagement of the two sets of projections. An accordingly tightened engagement makes a comparatively large force necessary for the switching operation, making handling during switching difficult.
An object of the present invention is to enable the switching operation in a centrifugal braking device switchable between inoperative and operative states to be carried out with light force.
The centrifugal braking device for a dual bearing reel according to aspect 1 of the present invention is a device for braking a spool which is rotatably provided with a reel body by using a centrifugal force, including a plurality of guide shafts, a plurality of shifters, a brake element of a cylindrical shape, and a switching means. The guide shafts are shafts which are radially provided with a rotor which rotates together with the spool. The shifters are members attached to the guide shafts in a movable manner in an axial direction rotatably around the axis. The shifters are capable of moving in a radius direction of the spool. The brake element is a member disposed at an outer peripheral side of the plurality of shifters. The brake element is non-rotatably provided with respect to the reel body and may be made contact with the shifters which are moved in the radius direction. The switching means is a means for switching a state of the shifters to an inoperative state in which no contact with the brake element is possible or to an operative state in which a contact with the brake element is possible by changing a rotational position of the shifters around the axis.
In this centrifugal braking device, when the spool rotates, the rotor also rotates and the shifter attached to the guide shaft moves in the radius direction to make contact with the brake element. When the shifter makes contact with the brake element, the spool is braked by a frictional force. The braking force generated at this time depends on the number of the shifters which make contact with the brake element, and the number of the shifters which make contact is changeable by using the switching means. That is, if the state of the shifter is switched to the inoperative state by using the switching means, the shifter cannot make contact with the brake element. This switching operation may be carried out by changing a rotational position of the shifter around the guide shaft. Since the rotational direction around the guide shaft is different from the moving direction of the shifter (i.e., the axial direction of the guide shaft), a large force is not necessary for the switching operation in the rotary direction and the operation may be carried out by using a small force. Since the switching operation may be carried out with a small force, it may be performed all at once by using another member instead of performing it one by one manually. Moreover, since the operation direction is the rotary direction, not the radius direction of the spool, the switching operation is easily performed all at once.
The centrifugal braking device for a dual bearing reel according to aspect 2 of the present invention is a device as set forth in aspect 1, wherein each of the guide shafts is provided inside of a plurality of recesses which is radially provided around an outer periphery portion of the rotor with an opening facing an outer peripheral side thereof; and the switching means includes: a shifter projection disposed at the shifters so as to project in a radius direction of the guide shafts; a guide provided with one of side walls of the recess which opposed to each other in a rotary direction, the guide being engaged with the shifter projection and non-rotatably guides the shifter to a position at which a contact with the brake element is possible in a manner movable in the axial direction; and a restricter provided with the other one of the side walls, the restricter being engaged with the shifter projection and restricts the shifter so that the shifter cannot make contact with the brake element. In this case, when the shifter projection of the shifter is directed to the guide provided with one of the side walls of the recess, the state of the shifter is switched to the operative state. On the other hand, when the shifter projection is directed to the restricter provided with the other one of the side walls, the state thereof is switched to the inoperative state. For this reason, the direction of the shifter projection is different in the operative state and the inoperative state and, hence, the operative or inoperative state of the shifter can be immediately determined.
The centrifugal braking device for a dual bearing reel according to aspect 3 of the present invention is a device as set forth in aspect 2, wherein the guide includes a first linear engaging portion formed as a protuberance or notch in one of the side walls, the first linear engaging portion extending parallel to the guide shaft with a length by which the shifter is capable of making contact with the brake element in a state in which the shifter projection being engaged; the restricter includes a second linear engaging portion formed as a protuberance or notch in the other one of the side walls, the second linear engaging portion extending parallel to the guide shaft with a length by which the shifter is incapable of making contact with the brake element in a state in which the shifter projection being engaged; and the shifter projection includes a moving engaging portion formed at an end portion of the shifter projection as a protuberance or notch, the moving engaging portion being capable of non-rotatably engaging with the two linear engaging portions in a movable manner in the axial direction. In this case, when the moving engaging portion of the shifter projection is engaged with the first linear engaging portion by rotating the shifter, the state of the shifter is switched to the operative state and the operative state is maintained by a dovetailing engagement so that the shifter may be moved outwardly in the axial direction (outwardly in the radius direction of the spool) to make contact with the brake element when the spool rotates. Also, when it is rotated in the opposite direction to be engaged with the second linear engaging portion, the state of the shifter is switched to the inoperative state and the state is maintained. In the inoperative state, if the shifter is moved in the axial direction towards the brake element, it cannot move to a position at which a contact with the brake element is possible and, hence, it cannot make contact with the brake element. In this case, since the two states are maintained and the movement in the axial direction is restricted by the dovetailing engagement of the two linear engaging portions with the moving engaging portion, it is not necessary to maintain the two states by using another member.
The centrifugal braking device for a dual bearing reel according to aspect 4 of the present invention is a device as set forth in aspect 3, wherein there are two of the shifter projections provided with an interval between each other around an axis of the guide shaft, one of the shifter projections being engaged with the first linear engaging portion and the other one of the shifter projections being engaged with the second linear engaging portion. In this case, the two states may be maintained without using another member and, since the two shifter projections are provided so as to correspond to each state, the degree of rotation may be decreased as compared with a case in which one shifter projection is engaged with one of the two linear engaging portion and, hence, operability thereof is increased.
The centrifugal braking device for a dual bearing reel according to aspect 5 of the present invention is a device as set forth in aspect 4, wherein the two shifter projections are provided with an interval between each other in an axial direction of the guide shaft, one of the shifter projections closer to the brake element being engaged with the first linear engaging portion and the other one of the shifter projections farther from the brake element being engaged with the second linear engaging portion. In this case, the two states may be easily switched by simply rotating the shifter, not by moving it in the axial direction.
The centrifugal braking device for a dual bearing reel according to aspect 6 of the present invention is a device as set forth in aspect 4, wherein the two shifter projections are provided with an interval between each other in an axial direction of the guide shaft, one of the shifter projections closer to the brake element being engaged with the second linear engaging portion and the other one of the shifter projections farther from the brake element being engaged with the first linear engaging portion. In this case, the two states may be easily switched by simply rotating the shifter, not by moving it in the axial direction.
The centrifugal braking device for a dual bearing reel according to aspect 7 of the present invention is a device as set forth in aspect 1, wherein each of the guide shafts is provided inside of recesses of an even number which is radially provided around an outer periphery portion of the rotor with an opening facing an outer peripheral side thereof; and the switching means includes: a first shifter projection disposed at the shifters so as to project in a radius direction of the guide shafts and a second shifter projection provided with an interval from the first shifter in an axial direction of the guide shaft and around the axis; a guide provided with one of a pair of side walls of the even number recesses which opposed to each other in a rotary direction, a continuous half of the guide being engaged with the first shifter projection and the other continuous half of the guide being engaged with the second shifter projection, the guide guides the shifter to a position at which a contact with the brake element is possible in a manner movable in the axial direction; and a restricter provided with the other one of the side walls, a continuous half of the restricter being engaged with the second shifter projection and the other continuous half of the restricter being engaged with the first shifter projection, the restricter restricts the shifter so that the shifter cannot make contact with the brake element. In this case, a continuous half of the guide or the restricter is engaged with one of the two shifter projection, a member for switching operation needs only be rotated a half periphery, not entire periphery, when states of the two shifters are switched at once in sequence.
The centrifugal braking device for a dual bearing reel according to aspect 8 of the present invention is a device as set forth in aspect 7, wherein the guide includes a first channel notch provided with the one of side walls so as to be parallel to the guide shaft; and the restricter includes a second channel notch provided with the other one of side walls so as to be parallel to the guide shaft, the second channel notch having a length by which the shifter cannot make contact with the brake element when the first shifter projection or the second shifter projection makes contact with an end portion thereof. In this case, since the guiding and restriction of the shifters may be carried out by the channel notches, the configuration of the guide and restricter may be realized by using the same structure and, hence, the configuration of the switching means is simplified.
The centrifugal braking device for a dual bearing reel according to aspect 9 of the present invention is a device as set forth in aspect 7 or 8, further having a shifter controlling mechanism which includes: an adjustment member of a circular plate shape capable of relatively rotating around an rotary axis of the spool with respect to the rotor and rotating together with the rotor while maintaining a relative rotary position; a first arc projection of a half arc shape provided with the adjustment member at a position at which the first arc projection being capable of opposing to the first shifter projection, the first arc projection presses a plurality of the first shifter projections disposed at a continuous half of the recesses in order by an end portion thereof when the adjustment member rotates in a direction so that the first shifter projections are engaged, in that order, with the guide to switch a state of the shifter from the inoperative state to the operative state and maintain the operative state of the switched shifter, the first arc projection presses a plurality of the first shifter projections disposed at the other continuous half of the recesses in order by an end portion thereof when the adjustment member rotates in the other direction so that the first shifter projections are engaged, in that order, with the restricter to switch a state of the shifter from the operative state to the inoperative state and maintain the inoperative state of the switched shifter; and a second arc projection of a half arc shape provided with the adjustment member at a position opposite to the first arc projection at which the second arc projection being capable of opposing to the second shifter projection, the second arc projection presses the second shifter projections disposed at the other continuous half of the recesses in order by an end portion thereof when the adjustment member rotates in the direction so that the second shifter projections are engaged, in that order, with the guide to switch a state of the shifter from the inoperative state to the operative state and maintain the operative state of the switched shifter, the second arc projection presses the first shifter projections disposed at the continuous half of the recesses in order by an end portion thereof when the adjustment member rotates in the other direction so that the second shifter projections are engaged, in that order, with the restricter to switch a state of the shifter from the operative state to the inoperative state and maintain the inoperative state of the switched shifter.
In this case, if the adjustment member is rotated in one direction when all of the shifters are in their inoperative states, the first shifter projection of the shifter disposed at the continuous half of the recesses is pressed by the first arc projection to be engaged with the guide in order of pressing so that the shifters of the continuous half are switched to the operative state in order and the operative state is maintained by the first arc projection. At the same time, the second shifter projection of the shifter disposed at the other half of continuous recesses is pressed by the second arc projection to be engaged with the restricter in order of pressing so that the shifters of the other continuous half are switched to the inoperative state in order and the inoperative state is maintained. Also, if the adjustment member is rotated in the other direction when all of the shifters are in their operative states, the second shifter projection of the shifter disposed at the continuous half of the recesses is pressed by the second arc projection to be engaged with the restricter in order of pressing so that the shifters of the continuous half are switched to the inoperative state in order and the inoperative state is maintained. At the same time, the first shifter projection of the shifter disposed at the other half of continuous recesses is pressed by the first arc projection to be engaged with the restricter in order of pressing so that the shifters of the other continuous half are switched to the inoperative state in order and the inoperative state is maintained. At that time, the shifters may be switched to the operative state or the inoperative state in a stepwise manner by staggering a timing of pressing by the first arc projection and that by the second arc projection.
The centrifugal braking device for a dual bearing reel according to aspect 10 of the present invention is a device as set forth in aspect 7 or 8, wherein the guide and restricter maintain the engaged shifter in a non-rotatable state around the guide shaft. In this case, since not only the two shifters are guided and restricted by the guide and the restricter but also the engaged shifters may be maintained in a non-rotatable state, a mechanism for maintaining the state of the shifters becomes unnecessary.
The centrifugal braking device for a dual bearing reel according to aspect 11 of the present invention is a device as set forth in aspect 10, wherein the recesses are disposed at an outer periphery portion of the rotor with an equal interval between each other in a circumferential direction; and further including a shifter controlling mechanism which includes: an adjustment member capable of relatively rotating around an rotary axis of the spool with respect to the rotor and rotating together with the rotor while maintaining a relative rotary position; a first control nub provided with the adjustment member in a protruding manner at a position at which the first control nub being capable of opposing to the first shifter projection, the first control nub presses the first shifter projections disposed at a continuous half of the recesses in order by an end portion thereof when the adjustment member rotates in the direction so that the first shifter projections are engaged, in that order, with the guide; a second control nub provided with the adjustment member at a position located at an upper stream side in the direction with respect to a symmetrical position formed by the first control nub and a spool shaft center and at which the second control nub being capable of opposing to the second shifter projection, the second control nub presses the second shifter projections disposed at the other continuous half of the recesses in order by an end portion thereof when the adjustment member rotates in the direction so that the second shifter projections are engaged, in that order, with the guide; a third control nub provided with the adjustment member at a position located at a downstream side in the direction with respect to the second control nub with the same radius position as the first control nub, the third control nub presses the first shifter projections disposed at the other continuous half of the recesses in order by an end portion thereof when the adjustment member rotates in the other direction so that the first shifter projections are engaged, in that order, with the restricter; and a fourth control nub provided with the adjustment member at a position located at a downstream side in the direction with respect to the first control nub with the same radius position as the second control nub, the fourth control nub presses the second shifter projections disposed at the continuous half of the recesses in order by an end portion thereof when the adjustment member rotates in the other direction so that the second shifter projections are engaged, in that order, with the restricter.
In this case, if the adjustment member is rotated in one direction when all of the shifters are in their inoperative states, the first shifter projection of the shifter disposed at the continuous half of the recesses is pressed by the first control nub to be engaged with the guide in order of pressing so that the shifters of the continuous half are switched to the operative state in order and the operative state is maintained by the guide. At the same time, the second shifter projection of the shifter disposed at the other half of continuous recesses is pressed by the second control nub to be engaged with the guide in order of pressing so that the shifters of the other continuous half are switched to the operative state in order and the operative state is maintained. Also, if the adjustment member is rotated in the other direction when all of the shifters are in their operative states, the first shifter projection of the shifter disposed at the other continuous half of the recesses is pressed by the third control nub to be engaged with the restricter in order of pressing so that the shifters of the other continuous half are switched to the inoperative state in order and the inoperative state is maintained by the restricter. At the same time, the second shifter projection of the shifter disposed at the half of continuous recesses is pressed by the fourth control nub to be engaged with the restricter in order of pressing so that the shifters are switched to the inoperative state in order and the inoperative state is maintained. At that time, the shifters may be switched to the operative state or the inoperative state in a stepwise manner by staggering a timing of pressing by the first control nub and that by the second control nub and a timing of pressing by the third control nub and that by the fourth control nub.
From the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art.